Professional Responsibility to Mitigate Climate Change [LO-7]:
The relationship between the built and natural environments is increasingly dynamic, particularly as climate change intensifies. Urban developments often disrupt ecosystems, leading to habitat loss and increased carbon emissions. Conversely, natural systems can provide vital services, like carbon sequestration and stormwater management, that are essential for sustainable living.
As an architect, I can play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change through various strategies. Prioritizing energy-efficient buildings that utilize renewable materials, optimize natural light, and integrate passive heating and cooling techniques is one. Another strategy can be focusing on resilient infrastructure that can withstand climate impacts, such as flooding or extreme weather, ensuring that they adapt to changing conditions. Green spaces are another important aspect to include through my architectural design. Greenery, especially in urban settings, can enhance biodiversity, improve air quality, and manage stormwater.
I have explored several of these ideas already with my project entitled Community at Scale. Located in a dense urban environment and situated in a flood plain, we located a large community park in the main floodway and put levee systems in place to help reduce the spread of flooding into living areas. Additionally, with limited access to clean drinking water, we implemented a cooling station tower that doubled as a water collector. These towers would pull water out of the air, and be stored for the members of the community to use as needed, this also doubled as a cooling station which is necessary with the extreme summer heat they experience in Ahmedabad. Learn more about this project below!
Moving forward, I plan to stay updated on the latest sustainable practices and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams that may be more knowledgeable on certain topics. By combining innovative design with ecological principles, I aim to create spaces that not only function harmoniously with nature but also actively contribute to a healthier planet.